A Past Slashed Apart
by TheGolurker
Summary: In the peaceful wake of the hectic events that took place, Azure discovers some writings of Slash, the mayor of Wildfire. ("Sequel" one-shot to The Wild Azure Yonder.)


_**Not long after the hectic trials had passed, on the night of the reunion party, Azure finds an enigmatic collection of papers laying on the floor of his residence's laboratory. Curiously, these words he finds have apparently been penned by none other than Slash. But just what are they?**_

"What is love?" That is but one of the many thoughts and questions that ran through my mind. I tell ya, I've had plenty of time to think on my innumerable inquires; those three months you were gone were a far-from-insignificant span of time. For almost eighteen tumultuous years, I hadn't quite been able to fully grasp this concept. At the very least, I knew what it wasn't: obsession, lust, and shallow infatuation. Then one day, I was able to attain the answer that had long eluded me.

The old adage states that hindsight is 20/20, but I dare say it's even sharper than that. Looking back, I was able to see what love is through my parents. That four-letter word easily sums up what they had. Did they have differences? Sure, it'd be unrealistic for any two people not to have some sort of conflict. But in spite of that, it was obvious to me that true love existed between them. What is love? It's being willing to do anything for someone and expecting nothing in return. It's the desire to help them, regardless of what it may cost you. …It's staying by their side until the moment comes when they draw their last breath. That's what love is: a selfless desire for someone else's well-being. …But at the same time, there is a fine line between this and self-destructive behavior. True love is not the same as being, for lack of a better term, a martyr. In other words, making a sacrifice isn't the same as being one. Why do I say this? Because, cynical as it sounds, there are those out there who will take advantage of any chance given to them. To even think that someone like that came into your life… it breaks _my_ heart.

That someone in question, of course, is T, the very antithesis of what he claims to feel. I'm pretty sure I know what you're thinking: "Why do you continue to badmouth him like this? Why do you hate him so much?" …Let me start off by saying that he and I, in some respects, are a lot alike. A quirky and charismatic personality, the act of taking on facades, even the way you met us were each both out of the blue, even if the circumstances were radically different. But another striking and unnerving similarity was that I myself have been guilty of some… unsavory actions. At the time, I didn't give it a second thought. But then I found out the truth about T. This is the reason why, the reason behind my loathing: he's the embodiment of what could happen… the kind of person I could have become if I kept acting the way I did: an obsessed entity who gave no thoughts for the consequences of his actions. I was consumed with regrets and resolved to throw aside that sickening façade of perversion I created all those months ago. All those actions I carried out in the past are things that the true me would have been completely opposed to. I can see now that I never should have done many of the things I did, and I was an idiot for not realizing it earlier.

Those regrets I'm talking about, they swirled around my mind ever since you disappeared. After everything I did and then your disappearance… I couldn't help but think that I was to blame. In the midst of the several theories that sprung up about why you left, one in particular plagued my mind: did I drive you away? Did my distasteful actions in the past cause you to want to separate yourself? To this day, I do not know how much truth there is to that statement, but the fact remains that it was the catalyst for my desire to be a better person. A better friend. I just hope from the bottom of my heart that the change didn't come too late.

Look, I know I've said this several times before, but… no matter what happens, I'll be here for you. I may struggle to find the right words to say to you at times, even now, but I hope I can get my message across to you. No more facades, no more dodgy allusions and allegories, I'll just outright say it: I only want the best for you, Raina.

_**Upon reading these words, Azure gathers up the pages, inserting them into the chronicle of his life for safekeeping. As the stars shine in the night sky, he wonders to himself, "Were these the words Slash intended to say during that fateful reunion?" **_

_**Ultimately, he is unable to find a definite answer.**_


End file.
